A/N: Rewritten on 11/16/17

My Partner?

"Nick!"

Nick turned his attention away from his desk to see the one and only hyperactive bunny, Judy Hopps, standing beside him beaming a huge smile at him. She held her phone in her paws, and upon hearing a beep from it, she had shot out of her chair. The signature smile she always wore out of excitement over something small always made Nick chuckle at her overly positive nature. He had grown to appreciate and adore that aspect of her personality.

Ever since the case of the fourteen missing mammals, the two had been partners—on and off work. Judy had managed to talk to Bogo and slip Nick into the most recent graduating class of the Zootopia Police Academy and Nick begun his training effective immediately. After of a few months, Nick was a proud police officer of the ZPD. Nick didn't mind it either, he loved working with Judy. He enjoyed going on patrols with her, arresting criminals, and working with her in general. Since Nick joined the force, he had been Judy's partner and never left her side. He would always work with her or somewhere near her. He would ride with her to work, get her a coffee in the morning and hang out with her on break. Coincidentally, Judy seemed to enjoy his company, as she did the same with him.

Their relationship was what most would call, a "Buddy Cop" movie. They were the inseparable pair of cops. Though their work was small at certain times, they were still well known amongst their comrades and fellow brothers and sisters in arms. They had become some of the best of the best, and they were proud of that. No matter what the job was or the situation, Judy was always eager and willing to help. Nick would be by her side all the way through and he made sure to stick around. He was always ready to catch her if she fell and she trusted him to do that.

Nick smugly smiled back at Judy. She could tell that he was already coming up with a sly quip or joke. Judy braced herself for the oncoming remark. Nick's quips slowly began to stop bothering her, leaving her to enjoy the jokes even. In fact, some of the jokes he made became her nicknames. Names like Carrots, Sweetheart, and Cottontail were what he always called her. Judy didn't really care about the nicknames—she secretly loved them. She was never bothered by Nick's sense of humour. He was a mammal who wasn't based off of the predator and prey book. She knew he played by his own rules, and she liked that. Judy thought that their partnership was unique, different from other officers. They were just that close. Nick and Judy loved spending time with each other, they were friends. They complimented each other.

Judy looked up from her phone with a grin glued to her face. Nick raised a brow at her and decided not to make a sly remark. "What's up Carrots?"

"I'm meeting an old friend!" Judy shouted with enthusiasm. "Sorry, just excited," she corrected, as she composed herself.

Nick laughed. "It's alright Carrots. So, who's the Bunny?" He smirked.

Judy excitedly smiled. "Actually, he's not a Bunny. He's a Fox!"

Nick raised a surprised brow at Judy's correction. Nick would never have considered Judy to be friends with a Fox, let alone any predator. He thought he was her first Fox friend—and maybe to some extent—her first predator friend. But he if knew Judy, then he knew she was optimistic. Of course she would befriend a predator despite the stereotypes. It would make sense if he was the first friend she ever made, just to seal the deal of her morals. Her "anyone can be anything" belief would surely parallel anyone being free to befriend whoever they wish, a fact now made evident to Nick.

"A Fox? Never would've imagined it." Nick chuckled.

Judy sheepishly smiled as she shrugged. "Yeah, I know. But we weren't always… friends," she said slowly while she swayed back and forth on her feet.

"What do you mean?" Nick inquired as he reached for his coffee on the corner of his desk.

"Well, actually…" Judy's voice fell into a whisper, "he bullied me at first."

Nick stopped in mid sip of his drink as he raised a shocked brow. "Really?" he asked with a face full of surprise.

"Yeah, I know, it's weird to call him a friend," Judy sheepishly mumbled. "But I like to think he and I could be great friends!"

Nick smiled at her optimism. In his eyes, optimism like Judy's was dangerous. Mammals who were optimistic were often good hearted and cheerful. Which meant they were easily exploitable, and Judy was no different. But regardless, she was unique and could hold her own. "Well, how do you know he's changed?" Nick asked softly.

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, time heals all wounds but mammals never change," Nick stated simply with a shrug.

Judy raised a brow as she cocked her head to the right a bit. "Huh? I think you're combining quotes."

"And that's what makes it my quote," Nick replied smugly. He took a quick proud sip of his coffee as Judy rolled her eyes.

"Anyways, you're point?" Judy asked dryly.

"My point is that he might not be different from when he was a kit." Nick shrugged again. "Kits like those don't usually turn out to be good mammals."

"What, you think he's like a drug dealer or something?" Judy asked with a hint of laughter in her voice. "Nah he's nothing like that! Don't worry about it. I met him before already. Remember when I quit during our night howler case?" Nick silently nodded. "I went back to my folk's farm, and worked there for a bit. Guess what I discovered?" Judy asked.

"The point?" her partner quipped. "Because I haven't seen it yet," he stated with a smug smile. The Bunny shook her head at Nick's impatience.

"He actually works with them. He makes pies—blueberry ones too," Judy said with a smile. Knowing Nick, he would be interested with the berries part. His curious expression made her chuckle. "Nick, if it weren't for him, I would've never known about the night howlers. And we all know how that ended for us."

Nick's grin grew as he tilted his head to left, eyeing Judy skeptically. "Alright, if you're sure." Smiling with a satisfaction, Judy retreated back to her desk, which was situated to the right of Nick's desk. Both of their desks were placed in the corners of their cubicle, with the entrance separating their desks like an alley between buildings. The two hard oak wood office desks had drawers on either side for supports but they were quite small, much like their cubicle. Judy preferred it this way, as she felt her previous arrangement was too spacious and empty. The small rectangular workspace had 3 walls, with the bottom half painted beige, coated over with a solid white. The top half of the walls completed the office atmosphere with a perimeter of opaque glass panes.

Nick eyed Judy's expression as she sat. She looked glad that he conceded his argument. Still, Nick was skeptical of the situation. He didn't like the idea of Judy being tricked or misled, a maneuver he had pulled on her time and time again. Mammals like Judy were easy to exploit. But even then, she had a trustful look in her eyes as she smiled. Skepticism aside, Nick had faith she knew what she was doing. But a gut feeling was still a gut feeling.

He took another sip of his coffee. "So, when ya meeting him?" he asked, still retaining eye contact with his computer.

"Oh, um, at seven. I'm leaving early today. Bogo approved as long as I finish my report!" Her bright smile forced Nick to smile back. "I decided to take him to meet at Sahara Sweets."

"Our lunch spot?" Nick asked, to which Judy nodded. "Wow, he's in for a treat."

"Right? It's the perfect place to take him!"

"Yeah!" Nick nodded. "And not City Hall, or the Natural History Museum, or the Dunes in Sahara Square, or the sights around Tundratown, or even the Mystic Springs Oasis," he added in a sarcastic tone.

Judy narrowed her gaze and tilted her head slightly to the right. "Um, wow." She raised a paw and began to count on her paw pads, "City Hall is too restricted and it's too late to get a tour, also too late to get a pass into the museum, Dunes is too far, I haven't even looked around Tundratown much, and seriously? The Oasis? I hated going there, why would I subject Gideon to that?"

Nick furrowed a brow at Judy. "You haven't been around Tundratown?" he recalled the few times he and Judy and patrolled and investigated the district.

"Nope, not much," Judy shrugged. She noted his confusion and further added, "Not enough to see the sights."

"Still," Nick grumbled, "Could've chosen a better spot."

"What? Got a problem with what I chose?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I do not Carrots," Nick answered. He turned back to his monitor, refocusing on his patrol summary. "I'm just saying, if I was a farmer Fox from the Burrows I would appreciate some sights around the big city."

Judy scoffed and asked Nick, "And what, you think you would make a better tour guide?" He nodded confidently. "Well, as much as I would love to argue, it doesn't even matter. I'm not showing Gideon around Zootopia or anything. I just want catch up with him. I can give him a tour after I fully explore this place." A wide grin grew on her face. "Or maybe he and I can do that together!"

Nick restrained the ability to roll his eyes. "That's an idea," he stated monotonically.

"Why? You think otherwise?"

"Not necessarily," Nick argued, "I mean… it doesn't matter." He could feel her gaze creep down his spine, causing him to shiver at the mere action. He stole a quick glance through his peripheral vision and could make out that she was eyeing him somewhat skeptically. It was too quick a glance.

"Are you okay?" Judy questioned him. "You seem… upset."

Nick shook his head and looked over at Judy, beaming a smile. "I'm fine Carrots. I just need to finish this report."

Judy's curious brow remained as she watched Nick slowly turn his attention back to his monitor. Judy bit her lip with disappointed look, then proceeded to look back at her own monitor as she placed her phone on her desk. Nick laid his left arm on his office chair's armrest. He had his head propped up against his left paw, and he kept his attention focused on his work. Judy was in the process of finishing her report, but unlike Nick, she was nearing completion. She continued to type away at her desk wearing a happy grin. Suddenly, her phone's screen blinked on and a chime emitted. She quickly picked it up to look at the message.

Business is take care of, I'm now free!

Judy's grin somehow increased a tenfold as she unlocked her phone and replied, Great! You sure you know how to get to Sahara Sweets?

His response, a few seconds delayed, left Judy to stare at the incoming text icon for a while.

Uhh, send me the address again?

Judy shook her head and typed, 1010 Plains Road. The response had taken some time. Finally, Gideon began typing and responded.

Gotcha. I'll see what happens.

Judy's eyes widened as she frantically texted a response. Don't get lost!

I'll call you if I need help. Don't worry, I got this!

Judy rolled her eyes and sighed. "Stubborn Fox," she muttered as she placed her phone on her desk.

"What did I do now?" Nick spoke up tiredly.

Judy looked over to the Red Fox as she said, "Sorry, I didn't mean you."

Nick smirked. "Clearly you're popular." He kept his eyes to his screen. "Care to discuss or at least grant me the courtesy of putting your phone on silent?"

Judy seethed. "Ooh, sorry about that. Must be distracting." She grabbed her phone and flicked on the silent mode, then placed it back on her desk. "I was just chatting with Gideon. He's on his way to Sahara Sweets." Judy jerked her thumb over to her monitor. "Guess I better crack on this quick!" Judy said as she began typing away on her keyboard again.

"Guess this friend of yours has got ya really excited." Nick noted as he typed away at his work. "Tell me more about this…" he stopped, prompting Judy to fill in the blank.

"Oh, Gideon!" Judy responded enthusiastically. "Gideon Grey."

"Alright. Tell me more about this Gideon," he asked simply.

"Well, not much to say really… not much I know at least. He's the best baker in the Tri-burrows. I know that he's planning on moving to Zootopia, like settling here eventually—sorta like his dream. But that's the whole point of this meet. I've kept in touch with him since when I quit. I want to get to know him, and also thank him. He not only helped me solve the case, he also was part of the reason why I was encouraged to be a cop." Judy smiled once more.

"Ooh! Guess I've got him to thank for having a Cottontail around," Nick smiled as he gestured toward Judy.

Judy cupped her paw to her mouth, as if she was telling Nick a secret. "I'll give him your thanks." She winked at him.

"Would ya please?" he chuckled.

Judy laughed quietly as she drew her attention back to her computer. She began putting the finishing touches on her report and smiled in satisfaction as she finished. Her report was short in length, but that was in regard to her side of the incident. She and Nick had encountered a minor disturbance during one of their patrols. It originated from a brief confrontation between a male Rhino and Buffalo that got physical outside the Grizzly Bar. The two males were intoxicated, which left Judy and Nick to step in. The fight was reported, but window glass was broken. Charges were made and things became difficult. Nick was left to deal with the exchange between the two drunks and manager, leaving him with a longer report. Judy had to call in the event and stepped aside to calm the customers and escort them safely out the establishment. Apparently, the drunks had some strange, vulgar, slurred words for each other. Then accusations of suing were thrown around—from both the drunks and manager—and Judy could tell Nick was developing a headache.

Despite how much occurred, Judy had quickly finished her part of the report and she smirked as she clicked print. "I'm done!" she announced happily as she hopped out of her seat.

"Hey, on your way to the printer, can you get me a cup of coffee?" Nick asked as Judy exited their cubicle.

She turned back and furrowed a brow. "But… you hate the coffee in the break room." She shifted her weight to her right hip as she leaned her right paw on it. "Remember? You said 'All it needed was some sandpaper if it was trying to destroy your taste buds'."

Nick laughed as he leaned slightly out of his chair, meeting Judy's eyes. "Ha! Surprised you remember that."

"It's hard not to. Wolfstein made that pitcher," Judy stated blankly. "He was upset for a while. He complains about it every time we all go out to Sahara Sweets and you order coffee."

"Knew that Wolf was muttering something behind my back," Nick said with a smile.

"It was a bit mean. Since you also asked him to make the coffee for you."

Nick shrugged carelessly. "Eh, then he shouldn't brag about making amazing coffee."

Judy narrowed her brows. "Nick."

He chuckled as he raised his paws in innocence. "I'm playing nice, don't worry!"

Judy turned back and muttered, "Mm hmm." She shook her head. "Fine, I'll make a pitcher for you," she announced as she began walking toward the break room.

Nick shouted, "You rock Carrots!"

"I know!"

Nick smirked as he sunk back into his seat. "Gideon Grey," Nick muttered to himself. He should have left it alone. He should not have bothered to even consider anything else. They were just good friends, reuniting once again. That was what he tried to tell himself. But they weren't good friends, at all—something Judy herself stated. He bullied her and she looked past that. It wasn't a big deal to her, so it should not have been for him. Nick tried, but he just couldn't shake off his suspicions. "Gideon Grey…" he mumbled once more. The name lingered on his lips as he thought thoroughly about his next action. It took a second, but he already came to the conclusion to continue. He dragged his mouse and minimized his report window. It was a gut feeling, and he acted on it.

His paws fell back onto his keyboard as he typed the Red Fox's name in. Immediately after hitting the enter key, a background check file popped open. Lucky for Nick, it was the correct spelling of Grey. He was met with a picture of a large, slightly chubby Red Fox. His parted fur top just made Nick scoff at the look. But, he decided not to judge (or compare) his looks and proceeded to scroll down. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he knew that there had to be something dirty about the Fox. He had recently applied for the Zootopia Citizenship in Savanna Central. There were a few trips before that, but they were only a few days at a time.

Nick sighed in frustration at the sight of a clean record. He had nothing incriminating or shady in his file. In fact, Nick became more infuriated as he read that the Fox had volunteered at retirement homes in his youth. Of course he became squeaky clean perfect. It was possible that doing good deeds were his way of making up for his kithood bullying, but even then, Nick expected he dealt drugs sometime in his life. All Nick was found were more reasons to befriend the lovable Fox. He decided it would be best to just stop reading. If Judy was getting him coffee, he'd hate to drink it with a bad taste in his mouth beforepaw.

"Here ya go," Judy's voice appeared. Nick looked over to the entrance of their cubicle and found Judy standing with a paper cup of coffee in her right paw. She extended the hot beverage to Nick as she kept her report papers tucked underneath her left arm. "One cup of coffee, courtesy of McHorn this time." He might have been saved from a terrible aftertaste.

"Ah, thank you Carrots!" Nick grinned as he grabbed the drink.

Judy smirked whilst Nick sipped his drink. She pulled out her sheets and held them in her paws to show Nick. "I've got my report ready, I'm going to paw it into Ben now." She cocked her head to the right as she rose her brow. "How's yours coming along?"

Nick raised his ears as he stopped sipping, nearly choking on the drink. He moved the drink away from his muzzle and coughed. "Ah, ugh," he muttered.

Judy frowned. "Oh come on, it can't be that bad."

He shook his head and placed the beverage on his desk. "Right, the drink," he mumbled. "No it's fine. But, yeah, I'm almost halfway." He gestured to his monitor. Nick immediately regretted the action due to Judy's look of joyful shock.

A happy grin fell on her face as her eyes widened. "Really! Can I see?" she asked as she stepped forward. Nick would have made a snide remark about how she granted her own request, but he was busy closing his windows. She furrowed a brow at him as she witnessed the action take affect. "What was that about?"

Nick smirked at Judy. "I don't need to hear you nag about my writing skills once again."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Okay, I promise not to nag."

He eyed her in a jokingly suspicious way, but proceeded to open his report window. "Have at it, Carrots." He gestured to his monitor effortlessly.

She began to scan through the report but wore a look of pride. "Wow, it's actually pretty good!"

Nick frowned at his partner's choice of words. "Ouch, I'll pretend that didn't sting."

She chuckled as she elbowed Nick's stomach. "Please, you've got enough iron skin to take some honesty." He sighed as smile formed on his lips. Judy continued to read the report and grew more satisfied. "Nice work Nick!" she cheered.

"Thank you," he grinned. "I appreciate the compliment Carrots."

"Well, I gotta go meet Gideon! I'm going to give this to Clawhauser." Judy walked over to her desk and swiped her keys from the top. As she pocketed the items she glanced over at Nick. "Are you sure you're fine with taking the subway back? I mean, I can wait for you and drop you off—I'm sure Gideon won't mind me being late."

Nick motioned his paws in his sweeping motion, shooing Judy. "Don't worry, I'll be fine Carrots." She slightly frowned, but smiled back at his reassuring smile. "We still gotta talk about movie night tomorrow!"

"I'll drop by your place!"

"Oh, uh, right, my place," she nodded as she began to back away. "I'll see you later Nick!" she shouted as she ran out of the offices, waving goodbye.

He waved back at her. "Later Carrots!"

Nick returned to his computer and opened his other window. He saw the picture of Gideon once again and frowned. "Even looks like a farmer," he whispered under his breath. He had no reason to despise him at all, but he just did. He had some burning sensation inside him. He couldn't tell if it was anger or because of the coffee he just had. Either or, the idea of this new Fox in town upset him. It was not like he thought Judy was replacing him, he was smarter than that. He just didn't like what this Fox could be capable of.

Minutes later, Nick was nearing completion of his report. He slowly dropped the annoying thought of Gideon Grey from his mind (even though he still had the background search of him open). He was secretly proud of his report, since he conjured the informational incident on his own. Before, he always asked Judy to assist him with the reports. He wasn't that bad at it, he knew how to write one. But Bogo had stated his report lacked key information at times, so he asked Judy for assistance. Over time, he learned how to write one on his own—despite the practice he had in the ZPA. Asking Judy was now just for Nick's own enjoyment. Hearing her advice and light hearted chuckles made him smile. She treated him like a child, and he played along.

Right as he finished his report, he grabbed his cup of coffee and sipped it slowly as he scrolled back to the top. He started to scan over his work, double checking for errors and mistakes. As he was in the process of editing, a voice disrupted his thoughts. "Wilde!" someone shouted in the distance.

Nick dragged his attention to the source, he looked away from his monitor to see a Gray Wolf. "Oh, hey Wolfstein," Nick greeted him. "How's it going? Did you get the position yet?"

"No idea," he responded, "Bogo's kept me in the dark so far." He roughly leaned his back against the cubicle wall entrance. "But I'm confident I'm getting it." He rose his right paw and crossed his pads.

"That's good," Nick nodded. "So, what brings ya by Freddie?" he asked.

Freddie smirked as he jerked his right thumb over in the distance. "Clawhauser said Hopps left a bit ago. Why?"

"Ah, yeah." Nick averted his attention back to his monitor and chose to leave the discussion at that.

"Is there a reason why she left early?" Freddie asked, looking at Judy's desk. He noticed after a few seconds that the Red Fox remained silent. He glanced over to him and raised a skeptical brow. "Is she meeting someone?" He placed his paw on Nick's desk, leaning against it as he shifted forward.

"She had to meet up with an old Fox friend from her hometown," Nick finally answered.

Freddie smiled, "Oh, is it a date?"

Nick's ears perked up as he glanced over to Freddie. "No, it's not." He kept his tone mellow. That thought had crossed his mind. The idea that Judy and Gideon were on a date. More so Gideon thought or wanted it to be a date, and Judy remained clueless to the notion. It wouldn't have surprised him as it was another example of someone taking advantage of Judy's kindness. But still, Nick didn't want to be too assumptious. Especially when Freddie threw him a suspicious glare.

"Dang, that's a shame." Freddie shook his head. "Hopps really deserves to get out there ya know?" Freddie said as he drew closer, nudging Nick with his elbow. The action only caused him to return his gaze to his screen, with a hint of annoyance in his system. "She's been here for months and hasn't met anybody. Mingling wouldn't hurt."

"What, you going to play matchmaker?" the Red Fox questioned him.

"Eh, maybe." Freddie casually shrugged. "Why? Got a problem with that?" he inquired.

"Not at all," Nick replied. "Couldn't care less about her love life." He grabbed the cup of coffee and sipped it till it was empty. "I just think meddling in other mammal's personal lives is a bad idea. It ain't your business unless they want it to be, right?"

Freddie nodded in response, wearing a small smirk. "Very true, Wilde. But still, this Gideon character might be a good match."

Nick's ears perked up in shock as he furrowed his brow at the Gray Wolf. He hadn't mentioned Gideon's name at all. "How do you know his name?"

"Seriously Wilde?" Freddie chuckled. He gestured to Nick's monitor, revealing the picture of Gideon on a small window. His name was to the right of his picture. "I took an educated guess," he hinted with sarcasm.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Inferences like that will definitely get ya that promotion," he muttered.

"So, why are you stalking the guy?" Freddie asked smugly, "If you, um, don't care?"

"Wolfstein, I will hurt you."

He laughed at the Red Fox's threat. "Wow! Didn't think you'd be so defensive."

Nick threw a questionable look at his colleague. "That isn't defensive! I'm just giving you a warning." The Wolf laughed again, leaving Nick to sigh irritably. He had finished editing his report and could not wait to get out of there. He clicked print and turned his officer chair to face Freddie. "What do you even want?

"I'm just checking on ya before I clock out," Freddie explained. "Finished my patrol awhile ago and thought I'd hang out with you and Hopps for a bit." He glanced back at Judy's empty chair then to Nick. "Seeing that our party has dwindled to two, want a guy's night out?" Nick groaned as he hopped down from his chair, making his way over to the printer. "Aw come on! We can bring Clawhauser along!"

"Benny's working late," Nick countered. "Bogo asked him to collect all reports by the end of the day."

"Then it'll be just us!" Freddie shouted as he followed after Nick.

Nick sighed. "Fred, I would prefer it if we just rain checked. Carrots and I gotta plan tomorrow's movie night anyways."

"Oh, right. So what's the theme tomorrow?"

"No idea, we're going to discuss that tonight," Nick explained as he arrived at the printer. The machine was nearly halfway finished printing his report, with the first page almost done. Nick stopped before the desk in the middle of the room. "Might be a rom-com."

"Well, it can't be that soon eh?" Freddie asked. "She's probably on her date right now." Nick noticed the emphasis placed on the word date and quietly sighed. Freddie was really trying something here, and Nick was not liking it. "Aw come Nick. Choose the place and I'll buy!"

Nick's ears perked up at the statement. He reached forward and grabbed the first printed paper and patiently waited for the other two sheets to be printed. If he was willing to take him anywhere, then Sahara Sweets would work. Nick grinned and turned back to Freddie. "Sahara Sweets?" he offered as the second page popped out.

Freddie raised a brow. "Coffee this late at night?"

"I'm not hearing a yes," Nick stated dryly as the printer shot out his final page. He grabbed it and shrugged. "So I think I'll just take my report and be going—"

"Alright, I'll take ya." Freddie raised his paws up in innocence, "Geez."

Nick smirked, "Great." The printer finished and he grabbed the freshly printed report. "Let's head out then, shall we?"

Freddie nodded and jerked his thumb behind them. "Sure, I'll just get my keys from my desk," he stated as he backed away. The office was a large open space that consisted of a few cubicles and some desks out in the open. When Nick's graduating class came along, more space had been made to fit the new officer's cubicles. Some desks had no cubicles, because not every desk was assigned to an officer. The majority of the time they were just borrowed for a day or two. Nick and Judy were fortunate enough to be on Bogo's good side when they got their own desks. It was mainly because their size made it difficult for them to borrow anyone else's desks. Freddie was lucky enough get his, but apparently all he had to do was ask. Nick still didn't believe his story.

"Pfft, darn Wolf," Nick grumbled. He liked how laid back the Gray Wolf was at times. Freddie Wolfstein, he always had a cool personality. He often at times chose to be comedic, but he would be competing with Nick in that department. Most officers knew Nick and Freddie had some unspoken competition to be the workplace clown. Regardless, Nick still enjoyed hanging out with him. The two had graduated in the same class, with the exception of Nick joining in the last year, due to Judy pulling strings.

When Freddie returned, he spun the keys around in his paws and smirked. "Ready to go?"

Nick nodded and followed his colleague out the offices and into the lobby. They made their way over to the front desk, where they found a happy, large Cheetah. Clawhauser was busy eating a box of strawberry donuts. Freddie waved at Clawhauser, who looked up to the paw and smiled. "Wolfstein, Wilde! You guys clocking out?"

"Indeed Benny," Freddie answered. "Nick heard Bogo's kept you here late."

Clawhauser nodded and said, "Yeah, but I'll be fine. It's not like he hasn't asked me to do this before."

"Bummer, I was planning to take you and Nick out for a guy's night out!" The Gray Wolf wore a look of brief disappointment. "If you get let go early, let us know—we're going to be at Sahara Sweets."

"I will!" Clawhauser smirked.

Seeing no other point for small talk, Nick stepped forward. "Well, take care Clawhauser," Nick stated with a smirk. He tossed his sheets onto the desk. "My report."

Clawhauser smiled, "Thanks! You guys have a nice night!" He waved the two goodbye as they walked towards the door.

"You too!" Freddie shouted back as he saluted his wave.

The two walked out of the Precinct and over to the parking lot. Freddie walked slightly ahead, as he was leading Nick to his large blue car. Once the two arrived, Freddie quickly got in the driver's seat and Nick hopped into the passenger seat. Freddie started the car and they started moving right away. As soon as he pulled out of the parking lot, he asked, "So you and Hopps?"

"I will jump out of this car without hesitation."

Freddie laughed, "Easy there pal!"

Nick scoffed. "We're just partners…" he stated softly. "That's all we've been."

He wanted to say he didn't like Judy in that way. But that would have been a lie. It had been a strange few months, and Nick was well aware of this. Judy brought something new into his life and he was grateful for it. He felt happy when he spent time with her. He made her smile and she did the same for him. Judy made him feel wanted, she believed in him. He had a new purpose, a new path. But he also had Judy to thank for it. She meant a lot to him, she was a friend.

Just a friend, that was what she was. Nick scolded himself mentally for considering otherwise. She was his partner. They were partners. It was nothing more. In the very likely possibility that Nick might have felt something for her, he knew it would be in vain. After living a life on the wrong side of the tracks, he wasn't ready to chance the good things in his life. Judy was a great friend to him. He could not ruin that bond between them. He didn't want to. But going as far as to say he was interested in her, he wouldn't admit it.

Nick shook it off, physically, which Freddie noticed. He raised a brow and asked Nick, "Anything else you want to add?"

"Oh, it's nothing," he replied.

"Really? You sure?"

"Fred, what's this even about?"

"The obvious," Freddie answered, to which Nick raised his brows. Now the Wolf was being cryptic. He flashed a smug smile as he turned a corner. Seconds later, he stopped before a red light and sighed. "How long have you two known each other?"

Nick smiled as memories resurfaced for a moment. "Since the missing fourteen mammals case."

Freddie's brows rose in shock. "Dang, that's a long time. Like nine months, right?"

"Really? Has it been nine months?" Nick questioned. "Wow… it felt like... five."

Freddie scoffed. "Time flies when you're having fun."

"Alright, can you get to the point Freddie? Because I feel like you're trying to accuse me of something, but you're also teasing around it."

"Come on, you know what I'm talking about."

"Freddie," Nick muttered irritably, "please." Nick chose to leave the conversation with that. He kept quiet, which Freddie noticed. He left it there at that as well, seeing that the conversation should be continued later. Minutes later, Freddie was pulling into the Sahara Sweets parking lot. As he parked the car, he threw Nick a smirk. The Red Fox scoffed and said, "We're friends dammit. No need to look further."

Freddie laughed. "Sure, whatever you say Wilde." He unlocked his seatbelt and opened the door. "Come on," he stepped out and began walking, "we got lots to talk about!" Nick followed him over to the cafe shop. The sound of a bell chiming echoed throughout the shop. Nick smirked as he looked around at the familiar scene. Though it lacked the flare and style, Sahara Sweets had great coffee. The downside, was that the scenery wasn't invested. The walls were black and white striped, but the white coat had faded into a dirty beige. The floor had a light tiled design of brown and beige, but most tiles had dirt stains.

The seating looked like a diner from the 80s. There were about twenty booths lined up in rows of four. They had dark brown colours and black cushions. There was a counter that extended about half the length of the shop. It curved at the middle section, and had a light green counter top. It's bottom had a darker, dirtier beige trim to complete the look. There were ten stools arranged along the length of the counter, all had a red cushion with rusty steel legs.

It may not have been perfect, but what it sold was just enough for Judy and Nick to get their morning cups of Joe. "Come on," Freddie repeated whilst he waved at Nick to follow, disrupting his observational scan. The two walked over to the second table from the exit, right against the window. It was the same spot they always sat in during their breaks. Nick sat across from Freddie and sighed. "Okay… so…"

"Waitress!" Nick shouted as he raised his paw. A female Tiger from the counter acknowledged the him and made her way over. Nick quickly glanced around the shop once again. Freddie noticed his brief spastic glances and deduced Nick had something up his sleeve.

Freddie shook his head and smirked. "You sly Fox."

"What?"

"She's having her date here, isn't she?"

"Hello!" a female voice entered. The two looked toward the Tiger waitress and smiled at her. She smiled back. "Nick, Johnny, nice to have you again!"

Freddie looked appalled at the waitress. "Uh, my name's—"

Nick interjected, "Nice to see you Miss Felicane."

"Ah, please, call me Tina," Tina corrected. "Now, what can I get y'all?"

"I'll have a Bunny medium cappuccino extra foamed, with a drop of sugar. And a carrot muffin," Nick answered.

Freddie raised a brow at Nick's order, but quickly muttered his order, "Um, I'll have a Wolf medium Espresso, and an… oatmeal muffin."

Tina nodded. "Alrighty, I'll be back with your order," she announced as she departed from their table.

Right as she left, Freddie stated, "We came here because she's having her date with Gideon here." He threw an amused look over to Nick.

Nick scoffed at the statement. "It isn't a date. And sure, whatever you think Freddie."

"Hate to break it to ya, but she isn't here Nick," he responded. "And honestly, do you think you can lie to me?" Freddie gestured to himself proudly. "Detective Recruit remember?"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Fine, I wanted to come here to check up on her. That's all okay? Gideon was a bully in her kithood and I'm just worried that he may not be as evolved as she think he is. It's just me looking out for that naive bunny—as per usual."

"Yeah, I don't doubt that," Freddie chuckled. "But I happen to think it goes further than that."

Nick took a deep breath before adding on. "I do like her, okay?" Freddie's brows rose in interest. He was surprised that the Fox admitted it. "But that doesn't mean I love her."

"Love can work in wonderful ways Nick," the Gray Wolf quipped. "The need to look out for a friend like that can transform into something else."

Nick rolled his eyes. "We're good friends, alright?"

Tina had returned with a tray of drinks and muffins. "Here y'all go," she stated as she placed their beverages and muffins. "Word of warning, we're closing soon. Might wanna hurry up with those."

"We will, thanks Tina," Nick replied.

"Lemme know if you want that to go!" She left them again, tending to a nearby table.

"I don't deny you're good friends," Freddie brought up pointedly. "That I can tell for myself. Things like going to work together in the morning, getting coffee together, or even having the same coffee," Freddie paused to take a long smug sip of his drink.

Nick confusedly stared at Freddie whilst he too sipped his drink. Upon drinking it, he realized what he meant and quickly set down his hot beverage. "Oh, pfft, this?" he gestured to the cappuccino. "I just like it!"

"And it just happens to be Judy's favourite drink?" Freddie inquired teasingly.

"Alright, I'll have you know she wanted me to try it one time, but I was reluctant." Nick shrugged as if it was a harmless topic. "Eventually I did and it became my favourite drink as well."

"Nick, you got it Bunny-sized as well!"

"So?" he questioned him. "It's the same as Fox-sized, why does it matter?"

"Carrots?"

"Is she here?" Nick asked with surprise. He made a move to turn around but Freddie chuckled.

"No, I meant your muffin," Freddie stated with a smirk. Nick's excitement was obviously noticeable. "Thought you liked blueberry."

Nick immediately responded, "I do. I'm just open to other options." He grabbed his coffee and drank it.

Freddie smirked whilst he brought his cup to his lips. "Of course, it's not like you love Carrots or anything," he mumbled before taking a sip.

Nick narrowed his eyes at his comrade. "Ha, ha," he sarcastically laughed. "You're hilarious."

"Aren't I?" he joked. He noticed Nick's sour expression and demanded, "Nick, come on, tell me I'm wrong."

"You're wrong," he simply replied. "You aren't hilarious."

"What do you love about her?" Freddie questioned him, cutting a corners and straight through the bush. "What is it?"

"Excuse me?"

"There has to be something big. A reason for you to stick around."

"We're friends Wolfstein," Nick stated dryly. "That's all we'll are…" his voice fell into a depressed tone as his head sunk.

Freddie sighed. "Nick…"

He rose his head. "She's amazing… okay?" Freddie raised a brow, shocked that he actually answered him. "She's just amazing." Freddie opened his mouth to respond but Nick cut him off. "She's too good for me! It's... it's too good. My entire life, I've had to deal with a lot of bad things, but she makes it all worthwhile. I've finally met something good. And… I want to be good for her. I can't be, it's just not me."

"Nick, come on, you don't honestly think you're hopeless—do you?" Freddie asked softly.

"Freddie, it was a lost cause from the moment I laid eyes on her." Nick sighed. "Right when she asked me to be her partner, I felt like I was wanted."

"So why not be more than that?"

"Because I don't want to ruin things, Fred," Nick answered. "I don't want to destroy the only good things apart of my life right now."

Freddie scoffed as he grabbed his muffin. "Oh, and getting a job as a police officer, having your own apartment—things like that? None of those things are good?"

Nick chuckled to himself. "Of course those are good things. But… that Cottontail is the best thing to happen to me. I couldn't lose our friendship."

"But, what if things aren't going to be bad as you think?" Freddie offered the idea with a smile. "What if it all works out and you two become great mates? If you're going to consider the downsides, then look at the upsides. You know you two are great partners, whose to say you can't be partners on a whole new level?"

"I want to think like that," Nick nodded. "How do I solidify it? How can I find the confidence to try?"

"Ever heard of a leap of faith?"

Nick groaned. "This is insane… I can't believe I'm considering this."

Freddie sighed as he shook his head. "Nick, just think about what you love about her and focus on that."

"What I love about her…" Nick spoke with a humourless smile. "Her laugh, her smile, her personality, it's just… great." Freddie smiled at Nick. "I want us to work."

"Do you realize you're afraid of nothing?" Freddie asked. "We both know Judy won't react drastically. In the slight chance she might not feel the same way, she won't jeopardize your friendship. You two are partners. You two will work."

"But…" Nick sighed. "How can I throw everything on the line again? Why should I? Why should I risk it all again when everything is just great the way it is!" he exclaimed loudly.

"Because next time it might be an actual date." Freddie eyes were dead serious. He had brought up a great point. Even if Nick wanted to keep the charade going for awhile, Judy was a different side of the equation. He wasn't sure if he could handle seeing her with someone else. Nick understood that well enough.

Nick sighed once more, emptying a great deal of breath. "I know. I... should try. You're right. After hiding this for months, it's time for me to be honest." He shook his head. "Regardless of the consequences—I gotta do it."

"You sure?"

"Maybe," Nick nodded.

"Nick." Freddie frowned. "Are you ready for that?" he asked seriously.

"Yes, I'm ready to tell Judy how I feel," Nick stated happily.

Freddie's eyes widened as he noticed something. "Uh Nick—"

"Freddie," he interjected. "You want to know if I love her?" Nick asked gently. "I do. I love her a lot. And I think I'm ready to tell her."

"Nick?"

Out of all the voices Nick had heard, he never thought he'd ever be more terrified of the small, sweet one behind him. He immediately whipped his head around to find Judy standing in the aisle beside him. She wore a look of excitement in her face, leaving Nick to assume she hadn't heard their full conversation. He slowly stood up from his seat and looked over to the booth behind him, noticing the recently finished plate of what he assumed was a sandwich. His mind began to decipher the strange setting. He wondered if they had arrived whilst Judy was in the washroom, or was she that oblivious? She could have been faking it, but where was Gideon?

"Freddie?" she questioned him, Nick's long stare was worrying her. "Is he alright?" She worriedly pointed to her partner.

"Ah he's fine!" Freddie dismissed as he waved his paw. "Evening Judy."

"Evening," she greeted. "Nick?" Judy asked once again.

He quickly realized his surroundings and answered, "Uh-huh?"

Judy tilted her head to the right as she eyed him skeptically. "You okay?"

"Of course!" he exclaimed loudly. A few nearby customers looked over at the Red Fox. Freddie coughed loudly in response, which Nick took as a sign. Freddie wanted him to talk now. "So, Carrots, what brings you—" Nick halted himself as he remembered. "Right, your date with Gideon."

Freddie chuckled at Nick's emphasis whilst Judy raised a confused brow. "Uh, yeah, I told you I was meeting Gideon here." She awkwardly chuckled. "But, yeah, we just finished. Gideon left a while ago. I was going to head over to your place." She pointed over to the restroom halfway, "I just had to use the washroom."

"Did he have to cut it short?" Freddie inquired.

"Not really. He just wanted to get back to his apartment—said he was tired," Judy answered. Nick's small smile was definitely noticed by Judy. She added, "It wasn't a date, you know that right? Just a friendly meet."

Nick chuckled as he nodded his understanding. He found it strange that she mentioned that, but he responded, "Oh, okay." He wasn't really sure how to respond to that.

Freddie was sat there in pure awkward silence as he stared at the two. He knew they needed help, but a small part of him was enjoying this. It was obvious they liked each other. It was incredibly amusing that they just avoided it like school kits. Nonetheless, he was going to assist them. "So!" he spoke up. The two threw their attention toward him. "If you two are going to chat, I can just go." Freddie jerked his thumb behind him as he slowly rose out of his seat. "Like, if you have anything you want to say," he muttered as he picked up his cup.

"Smooth," Nick mouthed at him.

"Actually," Judy said, "I can drop you off at your place if you want?" She was looking at Nick. "We can talk about movie night plans."

Nick nodded and replied, "Sure, I'd love that!" He grabbed his drink and muffin as he stood up out of his seat.

Once Nick hopped down from the seat Judy stared at him confusedly. "Wait, you two didn't have to end your… talk or anything." She gestured between them. "I didn't mean to disrupt your conversation completely."

"Nah, it's fine," Freddie dismissed as he waved his paw. "Nick was just about to do something."

Nick narrowed his eyes at Freddie. "Yeah, I was," he muttered. "So, see ya tomorrow Fred." He turned back to Judy. "Come on Carrots." Nick walked over to the counter and threw ten dollars onto the counter. "Keep the change!" he shouted as he followed Judy and Freddie out the door.

Judy began to pick up her pace as they neared the parking lot. "I'll get the car!" She called as she made a beeline for her car.

"I said I was going to pay," Freddie recalled once Judy was out of an earshot. He looked at Nick smugly.

"Nah, consider it thanks," Nick winked.

Freddie laughed as he shook his head. "Alright then, I'll take it." He sipped his coffee one more time as he backed away. "Now or never Wilde!" He called as he made his way over to his car.

Once he disappeared into the crowd of parked cars, Nick sighed. Freddie had really set him up. Nick knew where he stood with Judy. He didn't want to change that perspective. But, he couldn't help but wonder sometimes what it would be like to be in a relationship with her. He knew where he stood with her, but he wanted stand somewhere else. Freddie was right, it was time for him to make the move. Nick smiled once he saw Judy's car pull over near the sidewalk.

She honked upon her arrival. "Ready to go?" she asked as she rolled the window down by a smidge.

Nick smirked, "Of course." He opened the car door and hopped in the passenger seat beside her. Right as he put on his seatbelt, Nick asked, "So, you sure my place or do you want to go to yours?"

"Hmm, the apartment suite or the shoebox?" Judy asked as she tapped her chin.

"It's not a suite," Nick corrected her.

"Your apartment building is called Savanna Suites," Judy reminded him.

"It's a two bedroom apartment Carrots—"

"Which is already a bedroom bigger than mine."

"—and it was an apartment you found for me."

Judy laughed as she drove off. She turned into the street with smirk on her face. "Honestly, I should've listened to you and taken the apartment for myself." She rolled her eyes.

Nick chuckled as he crossed his arms. "Can I say I told you so? Because it's so fitting right now," he mused.

Judy rolled his eyes. "Say what you want Nick. Just know I found it for you."

Nick responded, "And I'm grateful that you did." His smirk remained as he continued. "Why do you think you have a key? The idea of rooming together isn't so bad." Judy threw a quick shocked glance at Nick. He was flirting, he thought that was obvious. So her shocked reaction hadn't motivated him. "Why not? You know every square inch of my place and same with me to you."

"Difference is that it took you two minutes to do that while it took me two weeks," Judy joked.

Nick laughed at his partner's response. "Okay, sure, but that's not what's important!" he stressed. "Focus on the fact that my place is fifteen minutes closer to the Precinct than your place. And that Sahara Sweets is right on the way."

"You suggesting I sleepover again?"

"I'm fine with it," Nick shrugged. "I stocked up on snacks."

"Which are for tomorrow's movie night," Judy reminded upon making a turn. "Which we need to talk about." She glanced at Nick, who nodded.

He said, "Right. How about a rom-com? Could be fun. We still got like two other movies we haven't watched."

"Again? That was last movie night." Judy groaned. "Are there other movie genres you know?"

"Yup and we don't have them," Nick quipped. "There only so many I can get from Duke Weaselton." Judy flashed a glare at Nick. "Kidding, I'm kidding!" he rose his paws up innocently. "I got them all legally from Marty's Mart."

Judy rolled her eyes. "You worry me sometimes, you know?"

Nick grinned. "Glad to know I'm on your mind Carrots."

"Ha, you have no idea Slick," Judy mused. "With someone like you? How can I not worry?" she rhetorically asked.

"Aww come on, give me a break!" Nick whined.

Judy shook her head. "Can we get back into the topic of movie night?"

Nick shrugged. "We can discuss it during tomorrow's patrol."

"So I'm not staying the night?" Judy asked coyly as she drove into the driveway entrance of Savanna Suites. "Because I just gave you a free ride, and now I have to go home all by myself." She pouted at Nick.

Nick chuckled. "You have a key. Feel free to stop by anytime," he offered as he unclipped his seatbelt.

"Might take you up on that offer."

"You have," Nick replied.

Judy laughed. "What can I say? Your place is nice."

"Doors are always open."

"I know," Judy stated dryly. Nick laughed as he noticed Judy's slightly reddened face. "Locking it wouldn't be too bad."

"Oh come on! It was one time, and I only had my shirt off—hardly inappropriate," Nick exclaimed.

"Why can't you just change in your room like a normal mammal?" Judy asked as Nick pushed open his car door. "Why do it in the living room?"

Nick laughed. "Sorry Carrots, it can't be helped." He knew he shouldn't have been leaving, he should have said it. But, they were having a good moment and he didn't want to ruin it. "See ya to—"

"Hang on," Judy interrupted. She unclipped her seatbelt. "I'll walk you to your room." She had a bit of smugness on her face whilst she exited the car.

Nick laughed as he hopped out, closing the door shut behind him. "You didn't even buy me dinner Carrots," he joked as they walked into the building.

"Ah, Mister Wilde, Miss Hopps," an elderly voice echoed throughout the lobby.

The two looked toward the front desk and smiled at the old Tiger seated behind it. "Evening Miss Dobby," Nick greeted.

Judy waved at her. "How's your evening!" Nick mentally groaned as he threw a quick glare at Judy. She giggled quietly as she devoted her attention to Miss Dobby. It was not like Nick hated his landlord or anything. In fact, he thought Miss Dobby was a saint. He just didn't like when Judy got into ten minute conversations with her. He wasn't one for neighbourly chit chat. Nick stood still as he contemplated the idea of running to the elevator.

"It's been quite peaceful so far Miss Hopps," Miss Dobby answered with an innocent smile.

Judy grinned. "Glad to hear it!"

"And how goes your evening?" she asked Judy.

Judy responded, "Swell so far!"

"Are you staying the night again?"

Judy laughed. "Nope, just dropping this Fox off to his apartment room." She jerked her thumb over to Nick. "You know how that goes!"

Dobby laughed. "But of course! That's what you do when you're dating—"

Judy's eyes widened as lowered her paw. "Uh… what?" she asked slowly. "We're… not dating." Dobby's face immediately shifted into an awkward shock. She was clearly embarrassed as well.

Nick's expression was of pure shock. Timing sure had a way with him tonight. He glanced back and forth between the two ladies. If there was ever an awkward moment Nick wished he wasn't apart of, this was one of them. He knew he should have made a run for the elevator. But now, that would look bad on his part. Right as Nick was about to deny Dobby's claim, he noticed Judy's flushed face and smirked. He was going to enjoy the moment regardless. "Aw, pardon the ol' Carrots here Miss Dobby," Nick spoke profoundly, "she's just embarrassed to admit her feelings."

Though most would think it impossible, Judy's eyes widened even more. She looked to Nick and grit her teeth. Nick wasn't sure to process that as shocked embarrassment or just emotional embarrassment. "Nick!" she exclaimed through her teeth. She punched him in the stomach as she chuckled. It was sincere.

"Easy there Carrots! No need to bite!" Nick laughed. "See what I mean?" he asked Dobby. The elderly Bengal Tiger laughed in response, feeling slightly at ease for her earlier assumption.

"Watch it Slick," Judy warned, "I can stick ya with a solo patrol anytime."

"Pfft," Nick waved his paw disapprovingly. "Like you would want to get away from me!" The Red Fox chuckled once more as he wrapped his arm around Judy's shoulder. He jerked his head over down the hall. "Well, we gotta get going, have a good evening now Miss Dobby!" Nick waved as he and Judy began to walk away.

Miss Dobby smiled, "Right, see you tomorrow Mister Wilde!"

Nick and Judy happily walked over to the elevator at the far end corner of the hallway. Upon arriving, Nick pushed the button and the doors opened right away. The two quietly stepped inside. Judy pressed the fourth floor and the doors closed. Once the elevator began going up, Nick asked, "So, wish to stay the night at the Wilde Residence Miss Hopps?"

"I would most absolutely love to!" she answered. "But I'd have to park my car in the parking lot."

"You sure though? Because I haven't cleaned up," Nick mentioned quietly. "So if you feel like cleaning—"

"So you mean like every time I come over?" Judy mused.

Nick laughed as he leaned against the elevator wall. "Just a word of warning Carrots."

"I think I'll be fine." Judy shrugged as she squinted her face at Nick.

The doors opened and Nick stepped out. "Suit yourself Cottontail!" he shouted as he walked down the hall.

Judy asked, "What is it? Don't want me over?" She had a playful look in her eyes, accompanied with an easily recognizable smile.

Nick stopped before his apartment door, pulling out his keys. As he unlocked the door, he waited for Judy to arrive. Once she was stood beside him, he responded, "I could never get sick of you Carrots." Nick's smug smile made Judy respond with a reassuring smile of her own.

"Guess I should feel bad that I don't feel the same way about you?"

Nick tilted his head to the right as he eyed her skeptically. "I try to compliment a gal and this is the thanks I get?" he rhetorically asked. "I take back my statement." He faked a pout as he stepped inside his apartment. He turned around and stood before the doorframe, blocking Judy from entering.

Judy scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "Nick, come on!" She grinned, "You know you love me!"

Nick smirked as he said, "Do I know that?" He pondered for a moment as he thought about his next move, leaving Judy to wait for a few seconds. Of course she saw it as a joke, because that was their thing. But with her damned smile, perked Bunny ears, and that small giggle—Nick couldn't help himself. He laughed as he leaned forward. And for a moment, Judy's world froze as she watched the Fox near closer to her. Nick's cheek had briefly brushed up against her's—she was not sure if it was on purpose or by accident—and Judy's body shook. Nick's breath caught against her ear. He whispered in a soft voice, "I've known that for a long time Judy."

As soon Nick pulled away, he could hear Judy catch her breath. Her body looked frozen, like she was dead or maybe she had seen a ghost. Her eyes were dilated, nose twitched, and her perked up ears began to slowly sink. Her reaction did not encourage Nick, but it didn't stumble his confidence. He stood still expectantly, but chose to make no comment. He watched her as she tried to find the words, she began to sutter. "Ni‒Nick, I‒I, you… me—" she stopped herself to catch her breath. "I… wow…"

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Nick confirmed. His paw was on the door, he wasn't sure why. He raised a brow at her, waiting for her response. Granted, he was not sure what response he was waiting for, but he wanted something.

"Right…" Judy whispered. She slowly nodded, it was a subconscious reaction. She didn't make a move to leave, she kept her gaze toward Nick with wide eyes. "Tomorrow…" she nodded again.

Nick sheepishly smiled as he nodded in turn. "Right, tomorrow." He started to inch the door shut. Again, he knew he should not have. He knew he had to stay there and take whatever she had to say. Nick shut his eyes, hoping that hiding his face from the deed would not chip away any more pride as he shut the door. But before either of them knew it, the door was closed shut. Nick opened his eyes and realized what he had done. His back met his door, and he slowly sunk down onto the floor. His head in his paws, and he contemplated what he had done.

Behind him, stood an innocent Bunny Rabbit. One who had looked at her partner with eyes of complete disbelief. Judy knew she had to open the door and say something, regardless if the door was locked. She had the ability to do so, the ability to push. But the key to opening it wasn't in her pocket, and she knew that. She sighed as she looked down. "Nick…" Judy turned away and walked down the hall, and she knew she shouldn't have.

A/N: Let me know what you think! Please review, favourite and follow! Tumblr blog: blehblarghblah has all the updates and Author Notes. But I'll post here as well.

Terribly sorry for the delays. School kinda surprised me, lot's of… personal things happened I was caught of guard. Nonetheless, a promise is a promise and I said I'd have updates by November. I will be posting Chapter 2: Romance & Reality, tomorrow. Then Chapter 3 after that. Chapter 4-10 are still rough around edges and will be worked one effective immediately. I never said I'd give up on this, did I?

Until next time,

Bleh